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rank

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noun

1
as in ranking
the placement of someone or something in relation to others in a vertical arrangement attained the highest rank in the Freemasons

Synonyms & Similar Words

2
3
as in row
a series of people or things arranged side by side rank upon rank of cavalry came thundering down the hill

Synonyms & Similar Words

4

rank

3 of 3

adjective

1
as in rampant
growing thickly and vigorously covered with trumpet vines so rank you couldn't see the trellis beneath them

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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3
4

Synonym Chooser

How is the word rank distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of rank are fetid, fusty, malodorous, musty, noisome, putrid, and stinking. While all these words mean "bad-smelling," rank suggests a strong unpleasant smell.

rank cigar smoke

How do fusty and musty relate to one another, in the sense of rank?

Both fusty and musty suggest lack of fresh air and sunlight, fusty also implying prolonged uncleanliness, musty stressing the effects of dampness, mildew, or age.

a fusty attic
the musty odor of a damp cellar

When is malodorous a more appropriate choice than rank?

The synonyms malodorous and rank are sometimes interchangeable, but malodorous may range from the unpleasant to the strongly offensive.

malodorous fertilizers

In what contexts can noisome take the place of rank?

While the synonyms noisome and rank are close in meaning, noisome adds a suggestion of being harmful or unwholesome as well as offensive.

a stagnant, noisome sewer

When might putrid be a better fit than rank?

Although the words putrid and rank have much in common, putrid implies particularly the sickening odor of decaying organic matter.

the putrid smell of rotting fish

How are the words stinking and fetid related as synonyms of rank?

Both stinking and fetid suggest the foul or disgusting.

prisoners were held in stinking cells
the fetid odor of skunk cabbage

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of rank
Verb
Spend a day at Baía do Sancho, often ranked the world’s best beach for its turquoise water, abundant marine life, and adventurous cliffside access. Carla Vianna, Travel + Leisure, 5 Nov. 2025 Kelly was fired after losing three straight games to ranked opponents following a 5-0 start to the season. Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 5 Nov. 2025
Noun
For example, state parties now get major influxes of cash, to the tune of a million dollars a month, to hire staff, set up programs, and fortify their ranks. Brittany Shepherd, ABC News, 3 Nov. 2025 Based on ideas of recruit quality and the traits the military sees as best suited to success in the ranks, the military has mostly desired to recruit straight and white young men. Jeremiah Favara, The Conversation, 3 Nov. 2025
Adjective
Cosby’s good guys do things that outpace the rankest villainy in the work of other crime writers. Vulture Editors, Vulture, 8 July 2025 Just last week, as millions of Americans took to the skies, June 27 and June 29 now rank as the seventh and eighth busiest days respectively in TSA history, pushing 2025 to claim six of the agency's top 10 busiest days on record. Doc Louallen, ABC News, 30 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for rank
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rank
Verb
  • Currently, there is no data on the containment status of the fire and the cause has yet to be determined.
    CA WILDFIRE BOT, Sacbee.com, 4 Nov. 2025
  • There are alternative sources for jobs data, such as ADP’s private-sector payrolls and proxies produced by the Chicago Fed, which Goolsbee oversees, but few good ways to track consumer prices.
    Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 4 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services reports that about 35% of adults in the state are classified as obese, placing it among 19 states with obesity prevalence at or above that level.
    Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 30 Oct. 2025
  • However, not every smaller tyrannosaur skeleton should be classified as Nanotyrannus, according to Brusatte.
    Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Category 5 is the highest ranking on the hurricane center's Saffir Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, reserved for hurricanes with winds of 157 mph or greater.
    Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 2 Nov. 2025
  • The Miami Hurricanes’ 26-20 overtime loss to the SMU Mustangs on Saturday unsurprisingly resulted in a massive drop in their ranking in the AP top 25 poll.
    Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 2 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Ayiku adds that this approach reduces transportation barriers, preserves dignity, and guarantees accessibility for all applicants.
    Ronny Maye, Essence, 31 Oct. 2025
  • My value, my dignity as a human being, was completely dependent on my ability to work, as if nothing else about me awarded me the ability to feel satiated by food.
    Stephanie Land, Time, 30 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • This one, boasting tight rows of eucalyptus and olive leaves, gives off a bohemian look, something a bit more laid-back than the cold-weather heavy cedars or pines.
    Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 5 Nov. 2025
  • Sherrill's victory marks the first time since the 1960s that New Jersey voters have elected a governor from the same party three terms in a row.
    Joe Hernandez, NPR, 5 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Microsoft unveiled a new category of PC that features generative artificial intelligence tools built into Windows, the company's world-leading operating system.
    Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2025
  • Unless the category could be brought under control, the excess threatened to self-propagate.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • The country faces rampant inflation, widespread shortages, and mass emigration, with over seven million Venezuelans fleeing abroad.
    Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
  • Suddenly, there is rampant competition for places between Emery’s No 10s.
    Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Turns out, the ideal conditions for this particular orchid are also ripe for a woodpecker comeback.
    Kirsten Fiscus, Nashville Tennessean, 30 Oct. 2025
  • Carlson said residents can eat the food grown at the garden after gardeners harvest the ripe fruits and vegetables and take it to a center on Saratoga-Sunnyvale Road and Sea Gull Way.
    Nollyanne Delacruz, Mercury News, 29 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Rank.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rank. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.

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